One picture
by WildLibra
Summary: (Be My Princess Otome/Gree) I never thought I'd be a princess...and all because of the stupid paparazzi!
1. Prologue

Every girl dreams of being a princess. The large lace skirts, sparkly tiaras, the majestic ballroom, the prince waiting for you with his hand extended. It's the dream you always wished would come true despite your knowledge of how things work for the six royal families...but somehow, I find myself believing in that childish dream every time I step out.

"Gabrielle!" I jolted back to reality at the sound of my step-mother's shrilled voice. Leaving the front counter of her boutique I wandered to the back room. Splitting the drapes I peered inside to see her acting as giddy as ever. It's rare for her to act in such a manner. Even on her wedding day she wasn't that excited. "What's up?" I let the drapes fall behind me as the woman, young enough to be my elder sister, grasped my wrists. Her emerald eyes glittered in a way that made circle lenses plain and dull. "I just received an order from the royal family!" In an instant I became just as excited as her, Amelia. Our squeals and the clacking of our heels filled the tiny room. "I'm so happy for you." I smiled brightly. I was honestly happy for Amelia. She worked hard in the beginning to get to where she was...and it obviously paid off. "Thanks hun, but you should be happy too." She pulled me over to her cluttered desk to show me an email. "Read that line." Her freshly manicured finger extended towards one line that stood out from the rest. **The outfit for the crown prince of Dres Van MUST be delivered in person by the 11th of June. **"Oh no." I looked away from the screen to Amelia. She sat in the leather chair, stroking her wedding ring. "It's the day of our anniversary. I won't be able to go to the castle and make it to the airport in time to meet Humphrey." I understood what she was asking. "Don't worry, I'll deliver it safely." "Really?!" Once more her eyes shined bright, even though the sun had set long ago. I nodded in response. It's the least I could do.

The day of the ball I saw Amelia and my father, Humphrey, off before heading to the train station. It was much more crowded than usual. People filled every inch of the station, bumping into one another. I was quite glad that I proposed to Amelia a custom box. However it made getting through the crowds quite difficult. "Excuse me...Pardon me..." And being on the train was no different. I struggled to hold the box and my ticket as I looked for my seat. Upon entering I was notified that even though I requested two seats I might only have one due to the sudden amount of travelers. I could have cared less at first, however I encountered a problem. A big problem. "Excuse me, sir, do you mind moving your bag?" I had found my seat but it was being occupied by a leather duffel. The man, who couldn't have been much older than me, looked my way...only to return his gaze to the brightly lit iPad. "Sir?" I was a little annoyed but I decided that maybe I should ask once more. "I will not move my bag." His attitude was poor and stunk of snobbery. "Sir, as you can see, the train is overflowing with passengers..." He cut me off, "And that is my problem because?" This time, he stared at me with intense purple eyes. I was truly taken aback. He smirked, once more giving the device his full attention. "Miss," I turned to see one of the train attendants staring at me, "please find a seat quickly. We are about to depart." I nodded and let her pass before glaring at the purple eyed gentleman. Sighing, I held tight to my ticket and the box while in search of another seat. I came out empty handed. Returning to square one I found the man with his eyes closed, ears covered by headphones. With no other options I looked around before picking up the bag and placing it overhead with the box. Sitting down I let out a sigh of relief. "Please excuse Joshua's behavior." I turned my head slightly to see an older man sitting ahead of me. I could only infer that he was talking about the rude man beside me. "You shouldn't apologize on his behalf." The older gentleman could only nod at my response. Closing my eyes I wondered who this Joshua really was. It's not common for others to apologize on behalf of another. Maybe for friends but the age difference between the two seemed to be at least ten years. With questions running through my head I fell asleep.

Upon awaking I found myself warm. Sure, it was summer but the train itself was rather cool. Opening my eyes I realized why I was so warm...I had fallen asleep on Joshua's shoulder. Sitting up straight I turned to see him wide awake and looking at me mysteriously. "I'm so sorry!" That's all I could manage to come up with. I felt like an idiot for saying something so basic and unapologetic. He looked away from me and muttered, "Don't worry about it." Instantly, my heart dropped. I felt as though he was being too kind. I was expecting him to be furious and to yell at me, but that was all he said. Adjusting myself in the seat I checked my phone to see if I had any missed calls or texts. **2 MISSED CALLS, 5 MESSAGES. **Checking my texts I saw that Amelia and dad had arrived safely and were pleased with the resort. **We might be staying long than expected. It's amazing here...** I smiled but it didn't last long. Memories of dad's marriage to my birth mom came flooding back all at once. If it weren't for the train come to an abrupt halt I might have cried in public for the first time. Gathering my belongings, including the box, I departed the train and the station. It wasn't as crowded as the one back home but there were plenty of reporters and camera crews. I shrugged it off as being preparation for the ball that night. Outside the station I was too stunned. The royal city was picturesque and looked as though it belonged in a fairy tale. Even the taxis were just too exquisite. I climbed inside one and headed for the castle. The roads leading to the magnificent building seemed to be freshly paved as they were free of skid marks and pot holes. I became so lost in the scenery that I hadn't noticed our arrival at the castle gate. It was large and made of gold with a guard on either side. "Please state your business!" I was thrown off course by the booming voice of one of the guards. "I'm here to drop of the crown prince's suit for the ball." Reaching into my purse I pulled out the badge that came in the mail a few days prior. The guard nodded before returning to his post. Within a few seconds the gates began to open, revealing the tall white castle.

Entering the castle through mile high doors I was greeted by the man on the train. "Ah!" He recognized me before I could say anything. "So you're Miss Gabrielle." I nodded my head. "And you are..." "Prince Joshua's butler, Jan." I couldn't wrap my mind around the word _prince_. I thought _there's no way the guy that was next to me is a prince._ "I'll take you to his office." I followed behind Jan closely. The various women we passed looked as though they wanted me dead. "Wait here." Jan left me outside a pair of French doors, vulnerable to the vicious women. I could have sworn that I saw one of them drag a finger along their neck and then point to me. "You can place it on the desk." I was too happy when Jan opened the door. I went inside quickly but stopped to marvel at the design. Everything was clean and neat. It was as if someone with an OCD about cleanliness worked there. Just as I was about to sit the box down Jan was called away by one of the other servants. "I am terribly sorry Miss Gabrielle. If you know the way out you can leave otherwise it may be a minute before I return." I knew the way to get out, however...I didn't want to be served at the ball as part of the h'orderves. "I'll wait." Jan nodded before turning on his heel to leave, closing the door after himself. I would have loved to breathe a sigh of relief but I felt out of place. Was it really okay for me to be in there alone? Walking around the space I took note of its size. "It's bigger than my apartment," I muttered. As I passed a door I noticed it was slightly open and voices were coming from inside. "What do you mean it's nothing? Joshua, do you really expect me to believe that this girl just so happened to fall asleep on your shoulder on the train?" It was the king's voice for sure, but I wasn't too sure if his Joshua was the one I met. Curiosity got the better of me as I peeked inside the room. From my view I could see the king's back. He was still scolding...Joshua! I let out a gasp as I realized that he was the guy I sat beside on the train. _He's a prince... _I took a step back but it wasn't enough to shield me from his intimidating gaze. "What are you doing here?" His voice was almost a whisper, like he didn't want anyone to hear. "I was dropping off your suit but..." He pressed a finger to my lips. "Wait here." Stepping back in the room he closed the door; he was no longer in front of me but my skin burned.

It was a good hour before he returned, the king following behind. I stood and bowed. He held out his hand to stop me. "I don't want to hear any more excuses. The two of you will figure out how to handle this situation before the ball. If not...I will and you won't like it. Understood." It may have been the atmosphere of being in the castle but the king seemed to be even more...great. Though he was finished talking his voice remained to fill my ears. "You have three hours to report back to me." "Yes sir." Joshua...Prince Joshua vocalized his understanding while I could only nod. _What is wrong with me?! How did I get myself into this position?! _The king sighed, leaving the two of us alone in Prince Joshua's office. He grunted, running a hand through his thick black hair. "I'm sorry." I sat down in one of the chairs facing his desk but I looked out at the view over the city. "Sorry is not going to please His Highness if you haven't noticed." _His highness?! Isn't the king Prince Joshua's father? _"Right...then what will please the king?" I watched as Prince Joshua sat at his desk, reclining. "I've spent 24 years trying to figure that out. The only thing I know that pleases him is..." He grew silent. "What?" "Follow me." He stood and marched out of the room. I had no choice but to follow.

At the end of a twenty minute walk I found myself in a basement filled with books. "What are we doing down here?" "Looking for a book of rules. It should help us in this unfortunate situation." I scoffed. "If you had woken me up then maybe we wouldn't be here." "If you had taken another seat we wouldn't be here." "If you weren't so arrogant about it then maybe I would have, but even then it was obvious that there wouldn't be any spare seats." We argued back and forth as we searched through the dusty collections. As the minutes passed we grew hotter and tired. Our time was limited. "I found it." As excited as I was I kept my place on the cold concrete floor. "What does it say?" He remained silent. "What is it?" "...marriage."


	2. Chapter One

My life had taken a sharp turn...over a river and through the woods to a castle that I would be calling home.

On the train home I cried. I couldn't help it. The king had agreed to the rule book. "Marriage is the simplest way to explain this unfortunate event." Sighing I read the text from Amelia. **Humphrey knows and he's not happy about it. But don't worry about him. He'll be fine in time. **Time. There wasn't going to be much of it. I was to return home and gather a few belongings. No waiting for Amelia and dad to return. No visiting my mom. Nothing. I couldn't sneak and do those things because the king ordered Jan and a few guards to accompany me. Why not Prince Joshua? He was angry. Furious. I could tell from the look he gave when the king agreed to our marriage. It screamed hatred. His purple eyes turned black as he bowed and left without another word. I too bowed and left, only to realize that he was too far to reach.

Upon returning home there was a mass of paparazzi, all of them wanting to catch a glimpse of the princess to-be. The guards shielded me as Jan led me inside. "You have an hour to get what you need," he said as he closed the front door. I could only nod as the reality of the situation set in. _I won't be coming home again. _In the small bedroom I packed only the necessities. I was certain that if I brought what I truly considered a necessity, it would simply be thrown out. "Princess' don't need blah blah blah," I muttered as I zipped up the tribal print backpack. Beside me my phone began to vibrate. **UNKNOWN**. I looked at the screen, puzzled, before answering. "Hello?" There was talking, but it wasn't directed towards me. "See, I told you. A girl with the name Gabrielle would have a sweet and light voice, just like my country's wine." You know this feeling - a group of people talking about you yet never addressing you directly. "I think she'll be good for Joshie-poo, we just have to prove it to him." "But how would we do that, he's just as serious about things as..." "Excuse me!" I interrupted the group of men. "It seems like we got carried away princess," this man had a slight Italian accent, "please excuse our inappropriate behavior." "Uhm...it's okay, but how did you get my number?" I could hear a slight argument over who wanted to speak. "When you're the future king, there are many things that you can get your hands on." The gentleman had a slight Italian accent that seemed to make him have an older feel, but I knew he couldn't be too old if he was just a prince...then my mind wandered to Elizabeth II's husband. "Why would you say that Robert?! You're going to scare our princess." This guy was definitely British. Sitting on the floor picking at the rug I listened to the three men who called one another Robert, Edward, and Willis argue back and forth. The three men I could assume were princes talked for such a long time that Jan had come to announce it was time to leave. He grabbed my bag and left the room first. "Hey, guys, I've gotta go. Bye." I didn't wait for their reply. If I did, I knew it would be another hour of arguing.

Instead of going to the Castle, the chauffeured car took a different turn. It ran alongside the infamous palace gardens. Even though it was night, the gardens were a spectacular sight. Attention focused on the garden that shone blue from the moon's light, I failed to notice Jan holding the back passenger door open. "Hey!" "Hmm?" My brown orbs locked in on purple ones that most certainly did not belong to Jan...though he still held the door open. I jumped back at the realization of our close proximity, causing Prince Joshua to smirk. He stood up and walked away from the black BMW. I crawled out and looked around. There was a tiny yellow cottage at the end of the garden maze. "Why are we here?" _I thought I was going to be staying in the castle. _"The queen thought it best for you two to get to know one another." "And she thought living together would be best?" "Precisely. However, Her Highness chose the cottage with two suits seeing as you both are not yet wed." I kept my trap shut. There was no way I was going to respond to it. "It's late." I turned to see Prince Joshua tugging at the tie of Amelia's design. The gold tie was definitely a better choice versus the blue one. It would have fought with his magnetic purple orbs. _What am I thinking?! Magnetic?! _I sigh and take my bag from Jan, following Prince Joshua into the cottage. The sound of the door closing seemed to let reality set in. _I'm living with a prince!_

My first morning of living with Prince Joshua I woke to the sound of chirping birds. "Is this some Disney movie," I murmured as I rolled over in the Rococo inspired bed. "You should learn some rules if...you're going to become a princess." I shot a look towards the door that I was positive I had closed before going to bed. "What?" He was fixing his tie and adjusting his cuff-links. "Rule 1130: you must greet Prince Joshua before he leaves for his duties." "What duties?" He rolled his eyes, "I do more than wear a suit and crown." I nodded, sitting up and kicking the covers off, revealing my bare legs. Out the corner of my eye I could see Prince Joshua look away like a little boy. I tried to smother a laugh as I got up and walked over to where he stood. "If you're going to be bold enough to open my bedroom door, then have the guts to look." He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple becoming more prominent. "Now what am I supposed to do when I see you off or whatever?" "You come to..." I listened to him as he spoke, very detailed, about the whole process. "Prince Joshua, you sound very book like." He looked at me with wide eyes. "I read about it this morning." I tilted my head to the side. "Really? They have a book about that?" He nodded. "The kingdom has books for every situation." You can imagine my surprise (Count Olaf voice). "If you need anything ask Jan, I've gotta go." With that he left me, alone. At first I didn't mind it. It meant I would have time to myself, and after everything that happened...I needed.

Dressed in a floral skirt with white button down and navy blazer I wandered the palace gardens. Jan had told me there wasn't going to be much for me to do but I dismissed it all too early. By early evening I had grown tired of the mundane atmosphere that surrounded the tiny cottage. Walking along the path I tugged at my blazer, pulling it off and draping it over my arm. "You dropped something." Turning around my face met the chest of a random gentleman. I looked up to see dusty brown hair and chocolate eyes. Embarrassed I took a few steps back. He smirked and extended his arm, "Here, I think you dropped this." Dangling between his fingers was my gold bracelet. Self-consciously I felt my wrist, only to confirm that it had truly fallen. "Ah, thank you." I reached out to get it but he pulled me close instead. "Uhm.." "You are truly a beautiful young woman. What a shame it is that I couldn't meet you first." He stroked the side of my face briefly, removing it as the rustle of leaves grew louder. "Robbie!" I took the opportunity to grab the bracelet and step away. I clasped it back onto my right wrist as men with silver and blonde hair appeared before me. "I thought I told you guys to wait." As the trio talked amongst themselves I realized who they were. "Hey, weren't you the ones who called me yesterday?" They all turned to me at once and nodded. It was quite frightening. "We couldn't wait for the next party to meet you and knowing how Josh is he probably wouldn't even let you go to that," He took my hand and kissed it, "I am Prince Edward. This here is Wilfred and I'm sure you know Roberto." I nodded. _So I wasn't exactly wrong to assume they were all princes. _"Why are you all here? Jan told me Prince Joshua wouldn't be back until late." Prince Wilfred smiled brightly, "All the better for the princes to get to know someone who is going to become a lifelong friend." With those words Prince Wilfred, Prince Roberto, and Prince Edward began scheming a brief dinner with me and the five princes.

It was awkward, being surrounded by such greatness. But my walls began to recede as the majority was rather kind. Prince Keith was the only one who wouldn't say a word directly to me. He seemed to be a bit distracted by something but I wasn't going to bring it up. We set in a circle on the floor of the living room. It shocked me that the princes knew how to be relaxed, even Prince Keith. My mind wandered to Prince Joshua. _I wonder if he's like this. He comes off as cold and a bit 'by the book'._ "Thinking about Josh?" I looked up to realized I had unintentionally dismissed myself from the conversation at hand. "Uhm," I was a little embarrassed, "no, not really." My face was burning but stopped once my eyes connected with those of Prince Roberto. He seemed to be a bit intoxicated from the wine Prince Edward had sent over. I requested red over white. Sure, I like white, but red happens to be my favorite. "You might wanna slow it down with the wine princess," Prince Roberto teased as he took the glass and placed it on the table. "I'm fine, really." He didn't look convinced. And neither did the other princes. After a couple more glasses the princes began to leave, however Prince Roberto stayed to help clean. In the tiny kitchen I washed dishes while he dried them. He insisted on doing the washing, "Your hands are too delicate," but I already felt bad having a prince help clean up.

The house was silent except for some singers songwriters I let play from Pandora. Prince Roberto and I sat on the couch, listening in silence. Maybe it was from all the wine but I felt at peace. I was comfortable around him. I wasn't bold yet shaking in my boots like with Prince Joshua. "Why did you agree to it?" "Hmm," I was puzzled by Prince Roberto's sudden outburst. "Why did you agree to marry Josh?" I sat up from my slouched position and looked directly into his darkened eyes "I didn't have much of a choice. If I said no there'd be problems for the Liebens. Rumors would be circulating about Prince Joshua being fickle..." "But what about you? The Liebens could solve it in a matter of minutes, but you..." he grew closer, grasping my hand, "you don't benefit from this agreement. Even if the rumors go away and you become a princess do you really think he'll love you?" My heart dropped. "Prince Joshua is cold, yes, but..." "He won't love you like I do." He was closer than before, our lips only inches apart. "It's infatuation. You don't love me." I was perplexed. Prince Roberto was sweet but I was engaged to Prince Joshua, even though there was no official announce or engagement ring. "I do love you." In an instant our lips collided. It was how you would imagine your first kiss. Sweet. Intense. Fireworks going off in the background. But as much as it felt right, it felt wrong. I pushed Prince Roberto back, unable to look at him. "You may love me...but I don't love you. I don't even know if I love Prince Joshua...and I'm engaged to him. I'm engaged to somebody I barely know and have zero feelings for..." Tears cascaded down my face. Prince Roberto reached out to wipe them but I pushed his hand away. "Just leave, please." "Gabrielle," he stood, "I'll wait for you." With those words he opened the front door. "Josh..." Before I could comprehend anything I saw Prince Roberto lying on the hardwood floor and Prince Joshua yelling, his face turning red...his eyes a dark blue, almost black. "Never touch her again!" I was frozen in place as I watched him pull Prince Roberto up by the collar of his burgundy button down and toss his outside, "Make sure he gets back before Al notices." I didn't need to see to know he was talking to Jan. Slamming the front door I jumped, my heart beating rapidly. Prince Joshua was angrier than I could have possibly imagined. He stormed past me, heading straight for his suite. I remained on the couch, listening to the faint sound of running water. The sound of water filled the space. I couldn't take it and went to my suite. As soon as the water stopped running in Prince Joshua's suite I started mine. I didn't care if the water was hot or cold. I felt bad. Dirty. Disgusting. Stepping out of the shower I dried my long pixie cut and slipped on a pair of black lace shorts and a ripped black skull t-shirt. Opening the bedroom door I peered out to see Prince Joshua sitting on the couch with his head hung low. "Come here." His voice was low and seemed to draw me in. I sat across from him on the same couch I had recently been kissed by Prince Roberto. My olive/tan skin burned from shame. "I understand Prince Roberto's brazenness, but you," he looked up with those dark eyes, "surely you know that you're no longer a commoner. You can't just have a fling whenever you want and expect things to be okay," he was furious, "YOU ARE NOT SOME COMMONER! YOU ARE MY FIANCEE DAMMIT!"


	3. Chapter Two

It had been a little over a week since the incident with Prince Roberto. That night Prince Joshua's words had set in. I was no longer a commoner. Any type of physical contact with another male would be looked down upon by not only the king and queen but also the citizens of DresVan. He even explained to me the rules of, "betraying the trust of your spouse." But that was after he'd had time to digest what happened between me and Prince Roberto. "I don't blame you so don't go saying sorry. It already happened so let's forget about it." I couldn't forget about it. I felt bad about what happened and felt as though I needed to redeem myself. So I asked Jan what I could do. Prince Joshua would just tell me not to worry and just let things be. BUT HE'S A GUY!

A few mornings ago I saw Prince Joshua off, but this time I followed him to the chauffeured Rolls. "Are you stalking me now?" He was dressed in another of Amelia's designs. It made him look sexy but it did nothing for his attitude. "No sherlock, I need to ask Jan a question." He paused in his tracks as I walked to the driver's side window. "Morning Miss Gabby." "Morning Jan...I have a favor to ask of you." I whispered into his ear, fearful that Prince Joshua might eavesdrop. "Hmm," he thought for a minute before pulling out a notepad, "I'm sure she'll be able to help you but I can't promise that she'll be nice about it." I said my thanks and waited for the car to disappear before making a beeline to the palace.

Walking around the massive place I realized I hadn't been in there since I came to deliver Amelia's design. _I really miss home._ I sighed as I thought about my family. I hadn't had any contact with them at all. No visits. No phone calls. No texts. Nothing. The only people I had to call family were Prince Joshua, who I was certain I had minimal feelings for, Jan, who acted like a brother, and my two bodyguards - Stephan and Renee, who slowly became my godparents. But even with such people surrounding me I still missed my flesh and blood. I found Mrs. Schmidt in the ballroom with a line of seven or so girls. They all seemed much more elegant and refined, as if they came out of the womb that way and only got better with age. "Princess, Jan already spoke to me about your...situation. Please join the other ladies." I did as I was told without hesitation. She seemed a bit pissed at my late coming, making me determined not to mess up. "Have you never taken a dance class in your life?!" But it seemed as though all I WAS doing was messing up. The day's lesson was ballet and it was far from the beginner lesson I was hoping it to be. When Mrs. Schmidt called for a ten minute break I collapsed onto the floor and downed a bottle of water while the other girls simpled sipped from theirs and began stretching. _I'm not cut out for this life. I am NOT about this life._ "Princess! Come talk with me." Mrs. Schmidt sashayed into her office, me flowing behind on what little strength I had left. "Close the door." I did as instructed before sitting. "Judging from your performance thus far...it seems as though you have no formal training. Did your parents not send you to debutante camp?" I nodded. As well off as I was growing up, debutante camp wasn't top priority during my adolescent years. My mother's health was more important. "Well," she sighed heavily, "I'll just have to give you one-on-one sessions. It would be an embarrassment to the country if the future queen was found to have no ettiquette."

My body ached as I walked back to the cottage by moonlight. I'd started my lesson at ten and didn't leave until midnight. I'd figured that Prince Joshua would worry about my wellbeing if I wasn't home when he got back. No such luck. Jan only came to see how things were going. I wished Prince Joshua would have came but... As I got closer to the cottage I noticed a figure pacing back and forth. "Prince Joshua?" It was him, only he was now leaning on the rail. He looked up, bright purple eyes staring at me. "Where were you?" I shook my head, "Nowhere special." Stepping onto the porch I made a beeline for the door. No such luck. Prince Joshua, suavely, crossed his arms and blocked the entrance. With his arms folded his chest seemed more muscular than I'd thought. "What are you doing?" "You lied to me." I was flustered. "Jan told me you went to the palace. Do you call that 'nowhere special'?" I swallowed hard. "I..." He rolled his eyes and huffed, causing them to turn a few shades darker, "Forget about it, I'm going to bed." My heart dropped as I watched him enter the cottage, walk into the kitchen and grab a bottle of wine, and slam the door to his suite. _Why do I feel so sad? Yeah, I lied to him but... I shouldn't feel this way. Do I have feelings for Prince Joshua?_

Lessons with Mrs. Schmidt continued, lasting from noon 'til nine. The training I received ranged from learning how to set a table to dancing to horseback riding. While all of this occurred, my non-existent relationship with Prince Joshua became even more non-existent. The only time we saw one another was during the morning greet and even that wasn't much. But I kept telling myself that if I put all of my energy into the lessons, it would pay off in the end. "You seem distracted," Mrs. Schmidt yelled from outside the horse track. I reined the black beauty over to where she stood, eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong with you today?" "It's nothing," I insisted. She press any more, allowing me to continue going around. Where was my brain? It was stuck on the words Prince Joshua uttered to me as he left for his duties. He wore his royal garb, hinting that his duties involved being more than just a twenty something year old with genius in business management and law of all things. As he prepared to leave he sat his glove covered hand on my shoulder and whispered, "I'm meeting that bastard today." I was frozen in place, knowing who he meant. _He's still angry about it, _I thought as the Russian Trotter jumped over one of the larger hurdles. With that I ended my riding lesson and trotted back to the stables. As I got closer to the stall I noticed Prince Joshua leaning against one of the poles. "Alfons, I think I might die today," I whispered as I brought the horse to a stop and climbed down. "So this is what you've been doing for the past few days. Lessons with Mrs. Schmidt." I scratched my head and muttered a 'sorry'. "Don't be sorry just yet. I want to see what you've learned up til now at the upcoming event. If I'm not impressed," he closed the distance between us, bringing his lips to mine, "you will be punished." His lips slid away from mine as he turned and didn't look back. _What was all that?! _

Because of the upcoming event, Mrs. Schmidt invited Prince Joshua to my dance lesson. I was absolutely against it but I came around after realizing I would have to dance with him in public either way it went. The sun was beginning to set when our lesson finally got into full swing. "Your Highness, please try not to drag Princess Gabrielle, she is not a mutt," Mrs. Schmidt screamed from across the hall. "I know she's not a mutt, she's a..." I cut Prince Joshua's whispered insult short. "What did I do?!" I hissed at Prince Joshua as the songs transitioned. "Don't play dumb." "Look, you can continue to be mad about what happened a long time ago but don't continue to make me remember such a thing. I feel like trash for even letting it happen." "So you regret it?" "No." "Why not?" He picked up the pace. "I didn't like it at all so how can I regret it? I hate that it happened and I wish it never happened...but I don't regret it." _I don't want to have regrets...regrets only lead to broken hearts... _"Fine." Those were his last words to me of that night. Practice ended better than it began, but our 'relationship' was still immersed under a lake covered by a thick layer of ice. Frozen over.

The morning of the event I woke to a surprise. Two actually. On the nightstand sat a light blue box. Stretching my cramped arm I picked it up, along with the note left beside it. **Firstly, I turned off your alarm so you've missed the morning greet. But that's okay for today. Secondly, we have to go to Nobel Michel for an event. All the princes will be there...including that bastard. **I sighed and rolled my eyes before continuing. **Wear what's in the box to the airport and grab the dress in your closet. Stephan and Renee will answer your questions. **Curious as to what Prince Joshua had concocted I opened the box to find another. Opening the black box I nearly dropped it once I saw what was inside. "This can't be real," I whispered as I stared at the Tiffany engagement ring. Just to be sure I wasn't dreaming, I slipped it onto my finger. It fit perfectly. _What is he trying to do to me?! He bought such an expensive ring yet he's holding a grudge. _I shook my pessimistic ideas away and got up to check the walk-in closet. Sure enough, hanging on the canvas mannequin was a blue gown that matched perfectly with Prince Joshua's royal attire. The ring. The dress. They both put a smile on my face, it felt good to smile I couldn't help but wonder what Prince Joshua had up his sleeves.

I didn't waste any time getting ready and heading to the airport. As we drove through town I noticed a surplus of flowers. They brightened the shops and the moods of those who saw them. Flowers even found their way to the airport but their joy didn't seem to shed light on Prince Joshua. "I'm surprised you came." He stood near the stairs in white jeans, a black and white striped v-neck, and grey blazer. "I'm shocked you waited for me." I approached him, wearing dark skinnies and a chambray button down with a straw fedora. Without having to look hard I saw a band on his finger. Self-consciously I rubbed the 2.5 carat diamond ring. The sound of Prince Joshua snorting brought me back, eyes wide. He burst out laughing, causing me to kick him in the shin. "Jeez!" "Hmph!" We boarded the Gulfstream, I following behind Prince Joshua. He was unaffected by it all, the luxury, and simply sat down in one of the large chairs. "Are you going to hold up the flight by protesting to sit?" I bit my lip as I struggled to hold back words. Truth was, I didn't want to sit next to him. Yeah, I sat next to him on the train but that was different. We was a complete stranger. _He's not as much as a stranger to me as he was before. It's worrying. _"Sit." He patted the seat next to his. Sighing, I took it willingly. As soon as I fastened my seatbelt the jet took off. I clutched onto the arm rests for dear life. "That was my arm," Prince Joshua hissed as he snatched it from my grasp. "I'm so sorry Prince Joshua." "Prince...just Josh." I was taken aback. _Calling him Josh...what could this mean? _I was hesitant about many things. What would become of our relationship? Is he doing this to get back at Prince Roberto? But I had to let all of that go. I had to focus on the progress, even if it made little sense."Okay...Josh." "Good," He extended his arm behind my neck, bringing me closer. We stayed like that the entire flight.

Upon arriving at Nobel Michel Pri..Josh and I went escorted to our respectable lounges. "Don't take too long changing Gabs," he smiled brightly as he unwrapped his arm from my waist. Talk about a drastic change...but I liked it. I enjoyed it. Closing the gigantic door the hairdressers and stylists wasted no time prepping me for my first event as Josh's fiancee. "Alright, that should do it." The stylist spun me around to where I faced the exquisite rococo style gold framed mirror. I gasped for air as I could not recognize myself. _I didn't think I could be this pretty._ "She likes it," they squealed amongst one another. I smiled brightly as I examined everything. There was a knock at the door but I was too stunned to answer. I was certain that once Josh saw me her would be stunned too. "You look gorgeous princess." I turned around to see Prince Roberto. My mood dropped instantly. "What do you want?" Sensing a bit of hostility in my tone the stylists wasted no time leaving, whispering, "Should we get Prince Joshua?" "You know he has jealousy issues, he'd kill Prince Roberto if he knew!" "I wonder how close Princess Gabrielle and Prince Roberto are if he's coming to her lounge." With the sound of the door closing Prince Roberto retorted, "Can't I come by to," I stood up, placing my left hand in front the right, "I see. So, he gave you an engagement ring. Do you really think that changes anything?" Prince Roberto carried a devious smirk on his face. "Is it any of your concern whether it changes anything?" "I like to think so seeing as he's trying to butter up my princess..." "I'm not your princess! I don't want to be your princess!" I brought my hand up to slap him but I was too slow. "I don't think Mrs. Schmidt would be happy to know that her star pupil slapped a prince." Josh held my hand inches away from Prince Roberto's face. "The royal family of DresVan will not take part in such unbecoming situations," he announced as he led me out of the room. I didn't mind it. Infact, I welcomed it. If Josh hadn't came...I probably would have gotten myself into a sticky situation. He led me to his lounge, angrily, and point to the tufted couch. "Are you alright?" "...yeah." From my seat I could see him gripping the marble table, his knuckles turning white then purple. I jumped up and grabbed his hands. "Stop it." I didn't know what came over me and neither did Josh, but I kissed him. It was brief but the spark was there. It surged through my body. "Don't hold in your anger. You'll only..." I could tell that he was still in a daze, his amethyst colored orbs sparkling. He cupped my face with his hands and leaned down to kiss my lipgloss coated lips. Let's just say it was magical. "Thank you," he whispered as we parted. "It's time," Jan announced as he opened the door. From his facial expression I could tell he thought there was more to what he'd seen. "We're coming," Josh said as he winked at me. I held onto his hand, not wanting this dream to end. Because if I woke to know that it was all a dream...I don't know what I would have done.

Standing behind the luxurious curtain that blocked Josh and I from the open ballroom, I snuck a few peeks at the crowd. They all looked wonderful and acted as if it was nothing to be at an event with the six princes. "Stop being so nosey. It's not a good look for you." I straightened up at Josh's words and Jan's snickering. "Do you remember what I told you the other day?" "Not really." From the speakers we could hear Nobel Michel announce Josh and I. "Then you might have to be punished." The curtain lifted, revealing the honored guests of Nobel Michel and their applause. I had to hold my emotions in until we descended the stairs and greeted everyone we were supposed to, including the princes. "Who knew a commoner could clean up so well," Prince Keith sneered as he eyed one of the ladies on the wall. "Who knew someone like you could compliment so well." He gawked at me, appalled by my retort. "Well, it seems that our princess can held Prince Keith. There must be no doubt that she can handle Prince Joshua," Prince Wilfred said rather philosophically before going to address a group of women who had followed him around since he arrived on the floor. "I wouldn't say that," Josh joked as he wrapped his arm around my waist. The gasps from the princes were in unison, "It seems as though this arranged engagement has had some developments." Prince Edward smiled as he continued to speak of how Josh changed over night. Literally. I could sense his uneasiness about the situation and asked him if he wanted to dance. "I'd be honored."

On the dance floor there was a waltz already in process. Josh and I simply joined in, trying not to disturb the progress. "You've improved." "I guess," my eyes wandered from Josh's to those of the man who made my blood boil. "Roberto?" "Yup. I can't stand him. He acts as though I don't have feelings of my own. And that when I say I have no feelings for him its just nonsense." "Hmm," he pulled me in closer as the music changed to a mambo, "then who do you have feelings for?" I scoffed, "Are you really going to go there, Josh?" "Of course. I'm going to show him how you tell a woman you love her." "Huh?" I was utterly confused as Josh led me through the song. It was familiar. Sway, sung by Dean Martin. The movements were different from that of the waltz. They were more sensual. "Josh..." I hissed as he suddenly spun me out and into his chest. "Play along and I'll forget about your punishment." You can be certain that I played along, and well. By the end of the song we were the only couple dancing, all eyes on us. Even Prince Roberto couldn't look away. He needed to know that I didn't belong to him, and Josh agreed. As the song came to an end, Josh dipped me and brought me up, in a split second, to where our lips were barely separated. _I think I love you Prince Joshua..._


	4. Chapter Three

Two months. That's how long it took for me to realize that I loved Prince Joshua...Josh. It's crazy, seeing as we spent almost every day together. Why did it take so long? I'm not sure...

"You were amazing," Josh whispered as the circle of people applauded around us, shouting words of encouragement. "You too." Our eyes locked, purple drawn to brown. It was intense...too intense for Josh. He broke contact first and bowed to the crowd of people, causing girls of all ages to squeal. Feeling slightly embarrassed, I curtsied briefly and turned to follow Josh off the dance floor. "May I have a dance?" I turned to see none other than Prince Roberto. "I..." I was about to deny him but in close proximity stood a few important people that could have me booted from the kingdom in seconds, "Of course." He smirked at my answer and led me back to the floor, Josh watching from afar as he pretended to listen to some Lord. As we danced I tried my best to hide my utter discomfort. "You're not as good a dancer as I thought." I brought my eyes up to see Prince Roberto glaring. "Maybe you're just not up to speed." He grunted and quickened the pace. I struggled to keep up. Why did I have to wear these heels?! As Prince Roberto and I spun, I could feel my heels become entrapped by the long gown...and down goes Frazier. I closed my eyes, too embarrassed to give anyone eye contact. "Come on. You can't stay there all night now can you?" Peaking, I saw Prince Roberto's extended hand. I took it. "Thanks." "You shouldn't thank me yet." I was taken aback by his words. "What do you mean?" We stood still as people danced, trying their best to avoid a collision. "You'll see," he growled as he walked away from me. What the heck?! Flustered I left the floor in search of Josh. Surely he knew what Prince Roberto meant. In search of Josh I could hear several people whispering about the accident. "How could she do that to Robbie?!" "It's obvious that she doesn't like or even respect him, she wouldn't even look at him." "She should go back to where she came from." The words stung, but not as much as the pain that throbbed from my ankle. I had searched the entire ball room with no such luck in finding Josh. "Where could he have gone too," I said to myself as I realized Jan was also gone. Leaving the room, I was greeted with silence as I roamed the halls in search of them. The pain in my ankle grew worse as the minutes passed. Hearing a popping sound I forced myself to hold onto the wall. I tried putting weight on my right ankle. It wasn't a good idea. I fell to the ground as I tried to smother the blood curdling scream that dared to escape. Tears ran down my face as I realized I was alone. No Josh. No Jan. No-one.

I sat there for hours, nodding in and out of sleep. It was the only thing I could do to keep my mind off my ankle. "Gabs!" I'm just imagining things. "Gabby!" ...or not. I opened my blurred eyes to see Josh running towards me from the other end of the hall. "I'm gone for a couple minutes and this is what happens?!" I could tell he was more worried than he was angry. His purple orbs were shaking. He sat down beside me and squeezed my hand. "I'm sorry." Josh shook his head, "No. I'm the one at fault. I shouldn't have left you alone." You got that right. "It's okay." He sighed deeply and glanced around. "What are you doing here anyway?" I scoffed, "Looking for you. I completely embarrassed myself when dancing with Prince Roberto." "You what?!" He went from being concerned to an angry...fiancé. "I fell on the dance floor and might have broken my ankle." "Gabby..." He seemed irritated, but would an irritated person bother to check out my supposed injury? I watched as Josh maneuvered through the fabric to find my ankle. "It's broken." "How do you know?" From my angle I couldn't see anything but Josh looked rather certain that it was broken. "Just trust me," he said as he stood. "I trusted you to be there when I needed you," I muttered. Though we weren't exactly lovey dovey, I expected him to be there to keep me from embarrassing myself, him, the king and queen, and the entire kingdom. But then I thought, I shouldn't expect too much from a guy. "We'll talk about that later, right now I need to get you to a doctor." In one swoop Josh lifted me up and carried me back to his lounge, bridal style.

"Did you find her?" Jan shouted as the door opened. The look on his face was that of utter shock. "What happened?!" "It's nothing serious," I said as calmly as possible...but Josh only made matters worse by butting in. "She broke her ankle dancing with that..." "Josh!" I cut him off just as he left the room, slamming the door. I called after him several times before Jan placed a hand on my shoulder. "He's just worried about you," He calmed me before dialing the doctor. I felt bad for even telling Josh what really happened as hours passed and he was nowhere to be found. Jan had answered calls I assumed to be from Josh, but he wasn't very forthcoming with information. Lying on the couch I spoke, "Where's Josh?" When Jan didn't look me in the eye I knew something was going on. "Where is he?!"

"It's all your fault! If you hadn't gotten on Prince Roberto's bad side none of this would be happening!" I was awestruck as Jan shouted at me, turning red with anger. "Then...maybe I should leave." "Maybe you should have found another seat or taken another train!" My heart sunk with every work he spoke...because he was right. If I had changed my seat I could have been home with my family, but I had to be so darn stubborn. Then again, if I hadn't stayed I wouldn't have found out how amazing and protective Josh is.

I just don't know what to do anymore.


End file.
